PROJECTS MOVE AT SNAIL’S PACE

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My cold first. No better. Worse. Going to shower and go buy something over the counter to relief symptoms.

Key West does not get things done in a timely fashion. When it finally gets to a project, the costs are much more than anticipated.

Monroe County is guilty of similar sins. Especially in the lowers Keys.

The big news this morning is that Wal-Mart is closing 269 stores. More than half in the United States and a significant number in Brazil. Appears not to be a big deal. The cut backs represent less than one percent of Wal-Mart’s global revenue. Wal-Mart has 11,000 stores worldwide. The dent by reason of the closings insignificant.

A Wal-Mart has been scheduled for construction up U.S. 1. Not far from me and Key West. Everyone excited.

Where is the store? Construction not even started. Three years so far since the announcement.

I recall an article in the newspaper a couple of month’s ago that things were moving slowly. No one particular person’s fault. Enough guilt to go around.

It is a project in Monroe County. Monroe Country should ride herd on it and make sure things move. Enough of the excuses.

Key West the worst. The Truman waterfront property has been in the works 15 years. Ground breaking finally late last year. I do not believe any actual construction has begun.

Fifteen years has to be a record!

The Key West City Commission has the obligation to ride herd on projects within the City. No excuses. The City Commission is in charge.

I fear Wal-Mart is going to pull out and the Truman waterfront never gets done.

Between sneezes, a running nose and watering eyes yesterday, I researched for a column topic for this week’s KONK Life. Have not zeroed in on one yet.

Search your heart. Be generous. There but for the grace of God could go you and I.

Today’s Crime Report in the Key West Citizen tells of a 22 year old homeless person who was arrested in the 600 block of Duval yesterday for panhandling. He had $1,000 in cash in his pocket.

Syracuse plays Wake Forest at noon. I have no idea who will win.

Cruz’s $1 million loan from Goldman Sachs has come under scrutiny. Trump says he feels sorry for Cruz. However, the matter should be investigated and he hopes Cruz has no problem.

Cruz is not that old. I was not aware he was so rich he could borrow $1 million dollars and do it on margin. A high roller. Or, something amiss.

My concern is Trump and his banking. He has borrowed everywhere and in voluminous amounts. His projects very costly. The media should look into his banking record.

Fair is fair.

Enjoy your day!

GREEK BREAD

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Stopped at Farmers Market yesterday morning. Had one intent. To buy Greek bread.

I purchased a loaf a few weeks ago. To try out. Excellent! Crispy crust, soft inside, loaded with cut up black olives. To die for!

I bought four loaves and a dozen rolls. Froze most of it. Picked on the rest most of the day. Toasted and buttered. Wild!

Before Farmers Market, I stopped at Blown Away for a haircut. Wrong day. Actually, correct day under normal circumstances. I forgot Lori is vacationing in Maine and will not return till next week. My appointment was actually scheduled for next week.

A new bocce season began last night! Great fun! Like opening day at any major sporting event. Handshakes, hugs, glad to see you, etc.

We won 2 out of 3 games. Lost the first 16-3. The only game I played. Not the way to begin a new season. The team came back, however. We won the second, 16-1 and the third 16-11.

Don back. Surprised to see him. He was not due till next week.

Food Network’s Curtis Stone and Beach Eats USA ran a Key West Beach eatery edition thursday evening. Hot Tin Roof was one of the eaterys featured. Sorry I missed it. The actual filming was done six weeks earlier.

Today’s KONK E-Blast carries my KONK Life column for the week. Hemingway’s First Love. Enjoyable and revealing.

A study came out concerning the Wal-Mart to be built on US 1. Claims Wal-Mart will not adversely affect traffic.

I hope so. I am all for the Wal-Mart. However the parking lot accompanying it is being constructed to hold 1,258 cars. Suggests a lot of traffic to me.

Studies have a way of screwing things up where traffic is concerned. The Boulevard a perfect example. I hope this job gets done properly.

Sal Salinero died yesterday at 73. A fourth generation Conch, Key West icon, and world famous artist. He will be missed.

Heard on TV this morning that Al Gore is or may have thrown his hat in the race for the Democratic nomination for President. Good! He got screwed the last time around. He won the popular vote by 500,000 votes, yet lost. Florida and its absurd type ballots screwed him. Actually, not correct. The Florida judicial system screwed him.

Had Gore become President, I doubt Iraq would have occurred. I further doubt the Middle East would be the cauldron it is today.

The media went crazy yesterday announcing that Warren Harding, 29th President of the United States, had fathered an illegitimate child while in the White House. The reports were not generally presented in a correct fashion. The actual story was that recent DNA testing established and verified the impregnation.

Not new news. I reported on Harding’s sexual exploits 6-7 years ago. The location motivated my comments. A West Wing closet. Would you believe! As good or bad as Clinton in the Oval Office.

The lady’s name was Nan Britton.

Harding enjoyed his escapades. He also carried on a lengthy meretricious relationship with Carrie Fulton Phillips. Harding claimed her to be his only true love.

Enjoy your day!

 

LET MY PEOPLE GO!

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Let my people go! Famous Biblical line. Moses speaking to Pharaoh.

A similar situation exists involving Florida keys’ residents. This morning’s Key West Citizen in a major front page article told the story of Aziza Petro and her two children 11 and 4 who are being held hostage in Turkmenistan.

Aziza has dual citizenship. U.S. and Turkmenistan. She was born in Turkmenistan.

She lives and works in the Key West area. Married to Mike. Mike is a well known realtor and political figure. Their two children are Mercedes and Mikey.

Aziza’s mother died two years ago. Aziza and the children returned to Turkmenistan to visit her mother’s grave. They were to return home July 1. The Turkmenistan government refused to let them out. The government did not recognize Aziza’s American citizenship. Claim she is stuck in the country. The fact that the two children were born in the United States and have no connection to Turkmenistan appears immaterial. They are not being permitted to leave.

A tragedy!

All members of the Petro family suffering.

I make mention of Aziza’a story because I met her some four months ago. I was at the outside bar at Louie’s. As was Aziza. She had an hour to kill while waiting to pick her husband up at the airport.

The conversation was interesting. I was impressed with Aziza’s sense of community responsibility. She proudly showed me pictures of her children and husband. We spoke of my Albanian friend Flora who I met on Amorgos. Albania and Turkmenistan are both former Soviet Union block countries. Turkmenistan still being run like one.

I wrote about my meeting with Aziza in my blog the next morning.

Aziza and her children cannot get out of a country. There is also the story of another local who cannot get into a country.

Friday, Secretary of State Kerry will be in Havana for the raising of the American flag at the U.S. Embassy. The Cuban government is refusing to allow who they describe as “dissidents” to participate. Credentials to enter Cuba are being denied to some. One such person is Key West’s own Rob O’Neal.

Rob’s relationship with Cuba goes back years. He has lived there. Married a Cuban. Spent years trying to get his wife to the United States. Rob has not had a kumbaya relationship with the Cuban government. Ergo, he is not being permitted to attend the Havana flag raising.

My relationship with Rob is limited. However, he is well known and loved in Key West. He is a friend of my daughter Lisa. He took her wedding pictures. Rob is a professional photographer and is the Citizen’s photographer. His press credentials could not gain him admission to Cuba for friday’s event.

Jimmy Carter has cancer. Sad. Not a Presidential great, he has become the best ex President ever. His good works since leaving office are world wide. I wish him well.

Bocce season begins tonight. I am excited!

This week’s KONK Life column is Hemingway’s First Love. It was linked to my Key West Lou website this morning. keywestlou.com. Read it. You will find the story interesting and informative.

Enjoy your day!